Connecticut School Shooting: Where Was God?

There is no good explanation for the horror parents, grandparents and others are enduring in Connecticut.  The nation is crying.  My sister shared this link and after reading it, I just wanted you all to have a chance to read this excellent post. I can't put it any better so please just read the following blog post today. Peace be with you all.

Connecticut School Shooting: Where Was God?

Charming Little Stars in My Life

I've had a hectic week, likely you have as well.

I hope that you made time for the people precious to you, though.

As for me, I loved time with these little girls.

Their little hands in mine,

a sweet baby smile when I arrive,

hugs around my neck... that's what it is all about, don't you think?

Do you see that Elise has sprouted a star on her head?

Cordelia was Star of the Week at her preschool this week.

She said that when she grows up she wants to be a "nurser" like Grandma.

Can I hear a collective "AAaaaaaah" ?

These little girls are bright and shiny stars in my life!

I am so grateful.

A Word From Pastor Mike - Angels Along the Way

  The following is Mike's sermon, given last night, at our midweek Advent Service.  The text he used was Isaiah 6:1-8 and Luke 1:11-19.

Our Advent Series is called "The Long Road to Christmas".  My topic for tonight is "Angels Along the Way."  We heard about angels in Isaiah's temple vision - 6 winged seraphim flying around the throne of God, praising God and bringing a burning coal to touch Isaiah's lips.  Then in Luke 1, an angel appears to Zechariah and tells him that he and his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son.  That son will prepare the way of the Lord; that child will be known as John the Baptist.

But apparently the real experts on angels are children.  Here are some ideas about angels from children:

Gregory, age 5... Everybody's got it all wrong.  Angels don't wear halos anymore.  I don't know why but, but scientists are working on it.

Olive, age 9... It's not easy to become an angel.  First you die.  Then you go to heaven.  Then there's still flight training school to go through.  And then you've got to agree to wear those angel clothes.

Mitchel, age 7... My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not very good at science.

Henry, age 8... Angels don't eat but they drink milk from holy cows.

Sara, age 6... Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who is a very good carpenter.

Antonio, age 9... My angel is my grandmother who died last year.  She got a big head start on helping me when she was till down here on earth.

Katelynn, age 9... Some of the angels are in charge of healing sick animals and pets.  And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.

Vicki, age 8... What I don't get about angels is why when someone is in love they shoot arrows at them.

We probably don't think about it much when we read the Bible but angels are all over the place.  From Genesis to Revelation, you will find angels.  

Angels are in the Christmas story in Luke's gospel. Zechariah is burning incense in the temple of the Lord... ooops there's an angel, "Don't be afraid." Mary's story, the angel Gabriel comes to Nazareth, "Do not be afraid, Mary." The shepherds watch over their flocks by night. The angel proclaims, "Fear not for I bring you good news of great joy."

Angels are all over the Christmas story in Matthew's gospel. An angel tells Joseph not to divorce Mary, "She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins." An angel in a dream tells Joseph to take his wife and child to Egypt for Herod wants to destroy him. After the death of Herod, an angel in a dream tells Joseph to return to Israel.

If we move forward in the story of Jesus we find more angels. According to Luke's gospel, an angel from heaven strengthens Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. At the resurrection, an angel rolls away the stone from the tomb of Jesus. It is an angel who announces the resurrection.

Immediately after the Ascension of Christ back into heaven, two men in white robes say to the disciples, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

These angels join us on "the long road to Christmas". What are we to do with them? Job #1 is to understand.

In the Bible the word for angel literally means "messenger".  In the Christmas story the angels cause fear - startle people. They bring announcements; they are messengers of good news. They sing praise to God.

According to the Bible the angels are a part of the heavenly count of God. They carry out God's tasks. They guide, protect and warn. They praise the goodness of God.

The idea of angels also challenges our modern-scientific-skeptical minds. Is there more than what we can see? Is there a realm of the supernatural where there is God and Jesus and angels and more?

When I was living in New Mexico a member of the congregation I served told me a story of an angel.  He worked in a nursing home as a CNA then as a nurse. On one occasion he walked into a room and noticed that the dying person in bed was looking intently at something. He asked, "What do you see?"  The person replied, "Don't you see him, sitting there in the chair? It's an angel." Hallucination or angel? I suppose it depends on your perspective or belief system.

As Christians, our call is not to obsess about angels or dismiss them. Our task is to listen to the message from these messengers: You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end."

The Angel of the Lord brings a message to shepherds in the night, "Fear not. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger... and then comes the Hallelujah Chorus, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom he is well pleased."

These angels speak of a coming one, Jesus.  He will be great... Son of the Most High... he will have the throne of David... reign forever... a savior...Christ the Lord.

Let the message of the angels dwell deep within you.  The angels bring us soul food for the long journey to Christmas.

Finally, let me close with words from another man who believed in angels, Martin Luther. This is the evening prayer from Luther's Small Catechism. Let us pray... We thank you, our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear son, that you have graciously kept us this day and we pray that you would forgive us all our sins, where we have done wrong and graciously keep us this night. For into your hands we commend ourselves, our bodies and souls and all things. Let your  holy angels be within us so that the evil foe may have no power over us. Amen.

End of the World?

My Mayan Necklace

(If I remember right from our trip to the Tulum Mayan Ruins, 

this is a letter of the alphabet... Maybe the letter "S"?) 

Yesterday I was listening to some discussion on KLOVE regarding fear of the supposed end of the world as some think is predicted by the Mayan Calendar.  I've hardly thought about all that and was kind of surprised to hear such discussion.  It made me wonder if that many people really are worried about this.  Have you heard much talk of worry about the world ending this month?

The discussion included questions about what you'd do if you knew you had a short time to live.  What would you do with that time?  Of course, working with cancer patients as well as hospice patients, I've thought about this type of question before.  For me, I think I'd pretty much carry on as usual as long as possible.  I'd want my family close; I'd want Ben and Sara to come here from North Carolina, but those are things I always want so that's not different.

Last week, while getting a patient ready for his procedure, he was talking about the little things going wrong with his body as he ages.  He said that sometimes he just wonders if this is all there is to life.  Do we just get older, sicker and then die?  It made me feel so sad for him.  We talked for some time about faith and hope and the peace that comes with that.  He told me he is a Christian, just one that is grappling with belief. I get that.

Those two discussions were both about the end of life as we know it.  The first is about the end of life for all of us at once while the second was about the end of an individual life.  Either way, should we be worried?

I don't think the world will end 12-21-12. Biblically it sounds as though the end of the world will be more of a surprise, not an internationally publicized event.  It just doesn't matter to me so much.

The gentleman grappling with his faith was distraught over the bad things that happen in this world, the evil that we all know and deal with on some level.  As a believer, I know that this world is not where I belong.  Please click here to read about my life's theme song.  If you'd rather, click here to listen to the song that says it all for me and maybe will be helpful to you as well.

You see, my individual death or the end of the world means an end to chaos and evil for me.  We are here for a purpose; we have work to do.  When that work is done, though, the best is yet to come.  The horrible things of this world will be no more.  When we get HOME to live with God our Father, we will truly have the luxury of peace.  What's to fear about that?

Happy Birthday, Tina!

I want to say something to my little sister, Tina...

I'm getting a lot better at cake-decorating, aren't I (wink, wink)?  OK, that photo is from foshefamiliy.blogspot.com.  Anyway, I hope you have a lovely day! You have always been such a sweet sister, I want to be the first to wish you a Happy 31st birthday!  (That little lie about your age is my gift to you... you're welcome.)

If you want to know about a person with real courage, read about my sister here, where I talk of some of my memories of her childhood dealing with cerebral palsy.  Then click here to check out her blog and read some of her memories first hand.  She now uses her blog to help others deal with cerebral palsy.

There is more to my sister, though, than her ability to deal with cerebral palsy. She is a mother who wants the best for her children. She is a daughter who honors her own mother. She is a sister who worries about my problems even when her own are much greater. She is also a friend to many. So, join me in telling her...

(Thank you, Google Images, for all the above photos. I didn't even realize you knew my sister.)

Oopsy!

I am at work.... realizing I forgot to prepare a blog last night to post this morning.  Sorry.  I will do better tomorrow. It will no doubt be fascinating and thought-provoking.

I just had a little boy look at me and say, "You look old." Awesome.

Let Us Love One Another

Yesterday I was helping in the kitchen at our church as we were providing a luncheon for those attending a funeral.  I thought about all the churches and all the kitchen workers over the years who have provided comfort in the form of food after a funeral. Preparing food seems to be a universal response, something we want to do to help those who are grieving.  

Does food erase grief?  No, of course not.  But providing this meal for those grieving lets them know we care.  It supplies something practical while letting them know we are there, we see them, we support them in their time of sadness.  This is what we do.

A verse from the Bible then kept running through my head.  It is from 1st John 4:7...  

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Mike's Favorite Hotdish

Hang on, folks.  I am about to teach you a life-changing recipe!  I know it's surprising, especially since I'm not a great cook, but it's true.  I hold the secret to one of life's most fabulous comfort foods!  

When I got married my mother-in-law, Carol, passed this secret on to me.  She pretty much had to or else Mike would've been on her doorstep, demanding a meal, at least once a month.  She simply called it, "Mike's Favorite Hotdish."  It is appropriately named.  Our older kids knew it as "Dad's Favorite Hotdish" but Sam argues and calls it, "Sam's Favorite Hotdish". You will likely have to give it a more general name, maybe just "Favorite Hotdish" so as to keep peace within your own families.

The ingredients used are:
     1 lb. of rotini noodles
     1 lb. of hamburger (I have successfully substituted burger crumbles to make it a vegetarian dish)
     1 lb. of velveeta cheese (Is there a vegan version of velveeta? I'd like to make this vegan sometime.)
     1 can of cream of mushroom soup (Is there a  vegan version of that?)
     about 3/4 cup milk (soy, almond, etc. are fine as long as it is the regular, not vanilla)
     salt and pepper to taste

Truthfully, the originally recipe did not include the amounts and I usually use the throw in method.  You know, throw in some noodles, throw in some cheese, etc.  However, for the sake of this post, I actually worked out the amounts a bit for you.  The original recipe was something like, "Use a lot of Velveeta and the put in some more."  

So, start with the noodles.

I don't really have a brand preference but they need to be rotini.  I know, other noodles may taste the same but they don't FEEL the same. Trust me, I made that mistake before and it was not approved.

Get them boiling. Of course, stir them now and then. Just boil them until they are done.  Crunchy rotini would NOT be comforting.

While the noodles are boiling, brown the hamburger.  It is even easier if you are using burger crumbles.  Don't bother messing up a pan, just pour them frozen right into the mix later.

After the noodles are done, drain them and throw them back into the same pan.  Cut up the Velveeta into chunks and toss them in.  Add a can of cream of mushroom soup.  If you are using hamburger, drain it and toss it in.  If you are using frozen burger crumbles, toss those in.  Slop some milk in.  I've never really measured that out but I think it is something like 3/4 of a cup.  You can always add more milk later if it seems too dry.  When I reheat left-overs I usually add a bit more milk to freshen it up.

After you've stirred it all together in the pan, dump the whole lot into a microwave safe dish.  You can most certainly heat it up in a conventional oven if you wish but I use the microwave.  Just heat it until it is good and hot and the cheese is melted.  I usually stir it a time or two to get it all melted just right.  Mike hates it when I tell him to just heat something until it is good and hot.  He wants an exact time but really, all of our microwaves are different and you'll know when it is hot so please don't fret about the number of minutes it takes.  You'll know when it is done.  

Call your family to the table and serve with a fresh fruit of some sort and maybe a tossed salad.

Now, isn't that good?

I'm not saying that it is a great diet food.

I'm not saying it is a gourmet food.

I'm just saying it tastes very yummy and will make your family happy.

Enjoy!

And Now For a Word From Our Sponsors...

Those of you as old as me will remember when T.V. commercials were preceded with the words, "And now, a word from our sponsors..." Well, today I am interrupting my blog for a commercial for Wyoming Rose Boutique.  

Maria and I have been busy making a lot of new items for Wyoming Rose Boutique!  Maria has already listed many of the new items and there will be more coming in the next few days.  I wanted to show you a few that we've just listed.

All of our items are always 100% vegan.

You'll likely recognize this adorable little model.

 I hand crocheted this poncho with 100% cotton thread.

Yes, I even followed a pattern... for awhile. 

I admit, I kind of did my own thing around the bottom.

I like how it turned out.

Maria made this cute little blueberry hat.

Isn't it sweet?

And the homegrown model is 100% cute! 

Thanks for tuning in.

I'll be back tomorrow with my regularly scheduled program blog.

Let's Do the Crocodile Stitch!

I crochet... a LOT. The thing is, I don't like to read patterns much. I like to read and learn new stitches but I find following a new pattern to be very, very tedious. I like to free flow it. That is I enjoy kind of making it up as I go. It is very relaxing.

HOWEVER, I was determined to make some baby booties for my youngest granddaughter, Elise. I purchased a really cute pattern that incorporated the crocodile stitch.  I LOVE the crocodile stitch! It was an adorable pattern and I really, really love Elise so I decided to just do it.  They are small, so I figured it wouldn't take long.

Well... it has been weeks.  I am a great procrastinator! The problem is, I'm not used to having to pay such close attention while I crochet.  I am also not used to having to count as I crochet.  I'd be flying along and suddenly realize I had no idea what number I was on.  Did I just say 34 or 37?  I did a lot of tearing out and starting over. Eventually, though, I settled down and realized it wasn't really all that hard. FINALLY!  I finished the little booties last night. I feel proud. I made them in white so they'd go with a lot of her little outfits.  I hope she hasn't outgrown them while I was procrastinating!

Do you like them?  The pattern I purchased also has adult sized ones just like them.  As soon as I get caught up on some Christmas projects, I think I will be trying to make a purple pair for my friend, Rebekah.  If you are interested in this pattern, or others using the crocodile stitch, check out Bonita Patterns. If I could do it, I bet you can as well! They have some really cute things.  Apparently I liked them enough to do this free commercial for them!

Oh, and one more thing... If you are placing an order at Wyoming Rose Boutique, you may type in the code word, FRIENDS, and your shipping charges will be erased!  Happy shopping!

Preparing the Manger

This post is linked to the blog, Red Head Reverie...

Are you as excited as Cordelia about Advent?  She just got right up there by the nativity scene and did a little dance!  

Do you notice something strange about the manger?  Yes, it is empty.  That is because it is the Season of Advent, the time of preparing for the Christ Child. Baby Jesus won't show up in that manger scene until Christmas is here.  

So what to do until then?  Well, we can focus on the excitement of the preparation itself.  We can focus on the anticipation of it all. Tonight we will be attending an Advent Service.  Perhaps there are such services in your neighborhood.  It is a great way to slow down, focus on what is real and good and vital about this season, and to quiet your soul for a moment during the busyness. 

Then, in our quiet moments, we can pray.  The following was our Prayer of the Day printed in our church bulletin this last Sunday, spoken by our congregation and congregations all over the nation, perhaps beyond. I thought maybe it would be a good prayer to say today as well...

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

Announcing the Winner...

The Purse With a Past will soon have a new home!

 

To determine the winner I went to Random.org.

They make it so easy to randomize a list.  I entered the names of all who left comments since that post.  I also added the names of any new followers. 

Then, I just clicked and the name that landed in the #1 spot was my winner.  It made me smile when I saw who it was as she has been a faithful follower for a long time. I've never met her but I also check in on her blog.  As it so happens, she was also the first to leave a comment.  Are you ready?

The winner is...... (can you hear a drum roll in your head?)....

Happy Elf Mom!

I Hope I Don't Blow Away!

Just a day or two more and I will be announcing the winner of the Purse With a Past Giveaway. If you haven't already entered, you may do so by joining as a new follower or simply leaving a comment.

I am writing my post for Monday in a big hurry.  It's actually Sunday night but I have to leave for work by 5:20 a.m. so... now is better.

Wyoming winds right now are extreme!  I just saw that we are having sustained winds of at least 40mph and can expect gusts anywhere from 58mph to 75mph.  We are used to wind here... a lot of wind.  Right now, though, I am just hoping we still have a roof by morning.  Some of the paintings on our interior walls are askew as the whole wall is shaken by the wind! I will not be surprised if we lose our power so I've set out a flashlight, candles and a lighter.  Now, I'm going to quickly show you some sweet photos from earlier this evening and call it good.

I told you they were sweet photos!

Yay! Advent Has Begun!

Hi there!  It's December!  Are any of you stressing about Christmas already? Are you worrying about spending too much money, not finding the right gifts, festive cooking or keeping up with too many social obligations? If so, you are not alone. I'm going to stop it right now, though. I am going to try to follow my own advice and make myself enjoy December! Come on and join me!

I am going to focus on ADVENT. I realize not everyone even knows about the church season of Advent so let me tell you what it is.  The word itself stems from the word "coming"...as in, a guest is coming. Guess what!? The guest is JESUS! That's a big deal!

Above is the Advent Candle that we use at our church.  We also have one at our home. We use the blue candles but the older tradition was to use three purple ones and one pink one.  Each Sunday during Advent (4 Sundays in all), we light a candle. When Christmas arrives, the one in the center is also lit, representing Jesus. It is a time to slow down and focus on what is wonderful and important about the preparations we are making for our guest, Jesus. The more candles lit, the closer we are to Christmas. The closer we are to Christmas, the more exciting it should be; it should not be reason to induce pre-Christmas panic.

I came upon this lovely little clip on YouTube.  I am so excited for you to see it! Please click here to enjoy this cool little treat.

A lot of people, even people who don't celebrate Advent as a church season, have become familiar with Advent Calendars. Do you do an Advent Calendar? If so, I'd love to hear what you do. 

This Was Not My Favorite Week

This past week has not been my favorite.

Mike started Sunday off sick enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room rather than a drive to church.  That's kind of a big deal when you are the pastor.

Monday, Sam stepped on a nail.  I told him I was sure his tetanus shot was up to date.  When I got home from a long day at work I double-checked that statement I found I was wrong.  So, I drug us off to InstaCare.

Tuesday my throat started to feel sore.  I was nervous that I might be getting strep throat or any bacterial tonsillitis that would require an antibiotic.  Last time that happened to me the antibiotic gave C-Diff a chance to take over my life with multiple relapses, eventually landing me in the hospital and forcing me to resign from my job as a chemotherapy nurse.  I admit that I was letting worry take over my thoughts by Wednesday.

Yesterday at work we all learned that there was a killing at our small community college.  Schools were all put on lockdown.  I was first told that it occurred in the building where Sam spends most of his class and lab time!  I quickly stepped away from patient areas and called Sam.  No answer.  Any of you who are parents likely know that feeling I got in the pit of my stomach. I knew it was dumb to panic but I could feel it edging into my sanity nevertheless.  Our daughter is an instructor at the college but I already knew she was not there.  Later I learned there had been a related killing in their neighborhood.  Our son-in-law, unaware, had come up the police and the body of that person.  As all this drama was unfolding, I still had to keep working, caring for patients and trying to keep them from feeling my tension.

It was not my favorite week.

But...

Mike is feeling better.  He received medical care that was competent and kind.  All the worst-case-scenarios were ruled out.  The physician in the ER even prayed for Mike... out loud!  It made me feel so good I really wanted to hug the man.  I know that I teared up.  Usually Mike is the one caring for the spiritual needs of a person in the hospital.  I was so touched to know this ER Physician saw that Mike was in need of that care himself.  It was good.

After 24 hours of a very sore throat, just about the time I knew I'd better go get my throat cultured for strep, it started to feel better.  It turned out that I have a cold.  Although I've felt less than great these last few days, I did not have to face my fear of reactivation of C-Diff.  That was good.

Sam received his tetanus injection.  The visit also gave me a chance to talk him into a flu shot as well.  We were entertained by a funny little guy with an odd bedside manner.  I'm not sure if he was a physician or maybe a physician's assistant but he was quaint.  He told us he'd known three patients in his career who had developed tetanus.  One, he said, survived.  As he shook his head he went on to say, "The other two..." at that point he drew his finger across his throat to indicate death and made a sound that he must have thought indicated the sound a dying person would make.  It was so strange it was funny.  Sam won't be developing tetanus.  That is good.

Yesterday, after not too much time of near panic, Sam texted back that he was fine and hadn't been present at the crime scene.  Maria and Eric and their girls were safe.  We still do not know the names of the victims but we know that three people lost their lives.  We know that it was a horrible day for someone else.  We are grateful, though, that we had a police department that responded quickly and effectively.  We are grateful that people are drawing together, supporting students who witnessed a very horrendous homicide right in their classroom.  I am grateful that my family is safe.

I am grateful that a new week starts tomorrow.

Beauty in the Parking Lot

At 4:45 a.m. I am not usually thrilled to hear the alarm clock for work.  There are some nice things about going to work so early, though.  One is, I usually get off early enough to have a little time before supper.  It's nice to be able to run some errands and such.

Another nice thing is that I sometimes get to see the sunrise.  I'd actually already been working awhile when my supervisor told me to go look outside one morning this week.  The view in the parking lot was so wonderful, I thought you'd like to see it as well.

It was so glorious.  It's amazing, really, that such beauty is available on a daily basis...for FREE!

Just a little reminder, anyone who leaves a comment this week, or becomes a new follower will automatically be entered in the drawing for the Purse With a Past.

Flash Decorating

Yesterday the Director of Nursing (DON) for our clinic became a new grandma.  She worked most of the morning but knew that her granddaughter or grandson would be born early afternoon by planned c-section.  One of the other nurses, Kelly, asked me to help her decorate the boss' office when she stepped out for a few minutes.   I was a bit perplexed when she handed me a couple of packs of Post-It Notes and told me to "Hurry!"  I caught on, though.  I'm quick that way. Others rushed in to join us.  We all quickly returned to our work stations with innocence all over our faces.

I think it turned out well, showing our great taste and classiness.  

Elegant, don't you think?

  Since the gender was as yet unknown, we chose to use a pink and blue theme.  

I expect others will be contacting us, wanting us to decorate for their parties...maybe even weddings!  Feel free to use this idea.  You could even Pin it on Pinterest to show your great sense of style!  

Useless Information

Yesterday's post was kind of heavy.  Today's post is not, so just relax and prepare yourself to learn some rather useless information.  I've been glancing through this funny little book...

... and I'd like to share some of what I've just learned.

First of all, do you know why we call a sandwich a sandwich?  Well, it comes from  an English nobleman from the 18th century.  He liked to gamble.  He didn't want to waste time taking meal breaks so he often had a servant just bring him sliced roast beef between two pieces of bread so he could keep gambling while he ate.  No utensils were needed  It's not known that he was the first to eat this "fast food" but he was a well known guy and he ate this way frequently in public.  Guess what his noble title was.  He was the fourth Earl of Sandwich.  There you have it.

Have you heard why we call the whiskers in front of the ears sideburns?  It turns out that one of the first to wear this style was Civil War General Ambrose E. Burnside.  Somewhere along the way the syllables were reversed and to this day they are referred to as sideburns.  

Do you know what it means to talk a blue streak?  That refers to someone with rapid speech? It is thought to come from comparing fast talk to lightening and the bluish hue it gives.  In modern times it also refers to someone who simply talks on and on.

Do you know what a pipe dream is?  We use that term to refer to someone's plan that seems rather absurd or unobtainable.  It originally came from those who used pipes to smoke opium.  The use of opium contributed to wild fantastical ideas by its users, called pipe dreams.  

You have heard the direction to keep a stiff upper lip.  To us it means to act stoically; to show little or no emotion.  Well, we are back to talking about facial hair, moustaches in particular.  During a time when British soldiers were growing moustaches, they found it difficult to hide their emotions or to properly stand at attention.  Any twitch of their lip made the facial hair twitch.  So, they had to learn to keep a stiff upper lip.                                                                      

Do you have a skeleton in your closet?  You know, do you have any dark secrets?  This term was quite literal at one time.  English physicians once had a hard time learning anatomy.  Only the bodies of executed criminals could be dissected, at least until 1832.  Even then, when it was legal, people were pretty grossed out by the idea of their doctor dissecting a cadaver.  Many doctors only got to dissect one cadaver so they sometimes kept them later as skeletons, enabling them to further study bone structure.  Because it creeped people out, they kept their skeletons hidden.

So, now maybe you know more than you did a few minutes ago.  Was it life-changing for you?  No?

A Healing Purpose?

(This photo has nothing to do with this post.  I just liked it.  

The painting in the background is by my talented mother.)

Last week at work I re-met a lady whom I'd met last year while working at hospice.  Last week she was just accompanying someone who was in for a colonoscopy.  Last year she was at the bedside of a young woman who had suffered a sudden event and was sent from the emergency room to our hospice home.  Over the course of a few days she'd gone from independent living to being on her death bed.  I was with her and her family as she breathed her last.  I was the one who said those sad words, "Time of death...."

At the surgical center where I now work I am finding that I often meet people from my past jobs.  I guess that isn't surprising as this is not a metropolis.  Working at hospice I often got to know patients and family members over an extended period of time.  Even further back, as a chemotherapy nurse, I developed friendships with patients and their families that often spanned a number of months or even years.  Actually, that was one of my favorite parts about those jobs.  Many of those patients gave more to me than I ever gave to them.

My concern, now, is the effect seeing me has on the survivors.  I am seeing them at a time when they are likely a bit nervous as they are coming to our center for a procedure.  They are vulnerable.  Then, in I walk.  Does it give them comfort to have someone they already know enter their room?  Maybe.  I am happy to see them and greet them with joy, but I know that the sight of me represents painful memories as well.  That doesn't make me happy but it is what it is.

As I thought about this, wondering how I could make it easier on my current patients, I realized I may be looking at it all wrong.  Maybe these meetings are a time when I'm supposed to offer something of a healing presence.  Do you suppose that I can say or do something that helps them through their grief?  Maybe just knowing that I remember their loved one, cared about their loved one, sometimes even still mourn their loss myself could be healing for them.  I don't know.

Yesterday a patient came in who was a family member to one of my previous patients... a nurse herself who became a friend and mentor to me, even as I cared for her.  I gave her chemotherapy over the course of several years.  I loved her!  When I saw her family member, I knew they would know me.  My friend/patient had kept my photograph on her refrigerator and had included me in some of her family events.  Since her death, though, I'd only seen her family a few times.

I prayed before I entered his room.  I wanted to help him face his procedure.  I did NOT want to cause him pain.  So, I went in smiling.  We hugged.  We talked.  I tried to pay attention to what he might need to hear.  Finally, I felt he needed to hear me say some of what she had meant to me.  I told him how I still go to her grave site sometimes to pray.  I told him I still think of her.  I still miss her.

THEN, we moved on.  We talked of his life now, four years after his loss.  We talked of his family.  We talked of the future.  I think it was good.  I realized then, that maybe these meetings could be more than just painful reminders to people.  Maybe they could have a healing purpose.  Maybe that healing is for me, as well as for them.  I don't know.  

The Purse With a Past ... Give-away!

Ha! I was cleaning out some stashes of unfinished projects Saturday and I found THIS ugly thing!

To find out how I came to own this ugly purse, simply click here. I had truly intended to redo this purse right away.  It had good "bones" but that Anarchy stamp on the front was not acceptable.  Well, true to my nature I tucked it away and forgot about it... until now!

I dug it out and decided the time had come!  I messed with it for quite awhile before deciding just what I wanted to do.  Finally, I made my choice of fabric.  I went from Anarchy to Flower Garden. Really all I had to do was apply (sew) the new fabric over the top of the Anarchy symbol.  It was easy.  I've no idea why it took me so long to accomplish this little make-over.  I kind of like how it turned out.

The thing is, I don't really need a new purse.  So, look it over.  Could you use a new purse?  I've decided to bless someone else with this cheerful little beauty!  Don't hold her past against her please.  To enter this give-away, either leave a comment on this post for me or sign up as a new follower.  Either way, I will put your name in the drawing.  It will be fun, huh?!

I will announce the winner in about a week so keep checking back.  Sneaky, huh?  I leave the announcement date kind of vague so you have to keep visiting my blog.

Also, this is a linky party!  It's not my party but I am attending a linky party at a blog called, 

"You Are Talking Too Much". 

... I liked the blog name.  Come along if you'd like!  You can be my plus one!

After that party I am joining in at Repurposed Ideas Weekly.  Let's go!

And if you are interested in entering more give-aways,
try this link.